If you’ve spent any time on Netflix in the last few years, you probably know Lesley-Ann Brandt as the leather-clad, demon-bounty-hunter Mazikeen. She basically stole every scene in Lucifer with nothing but a pair of karambit blades and a terrifyingly sharp smirk. But here’s the thing—the list of Lesley-Ann Brandt movies and tv shows is a lot weirder and more diverse than just "the girl from the devil show."
Honestly, her journey from Cape Town to Auckland and finally to Hollywood is kind of a wild ride. She didn't just wake up as a demon. She played slaves, assassins, and even a nurse in a New Zealand soap opera before she ever set foot in Lux.
The Breakthrough: From Spartacus to the CRM
Before Lucifer became a global phenomenon, Brandt was breaking hearts (and breaking out of chains) in Spartacus: Blood and Sand. She played Naevia. If you remember that show, it was all blood, sand, and very intense Roman drama. She was incredible as the tragic, resilient slave girl, but she actually left the show after the first season and the prequel Gods of the Arena.
Why? It’s one of those "what if" moments in Hollywood history. Production was delayed because of Andy Whitfield’s health struggles, and she decided to move on. Cynthia Addai-Robinson took over the role later, but for the O.G. fans, Brandt was Naevia.
Fast forward to 2024, and she jumped into one of the biggest franchises on the planet: The Walking Dead. In the spinoff The Ones Who Live, she played Pearl Thorne. She wasn't playing a damsel this time. Thorne was a tough-as-nails South African naval officer navigating the CRM. It felt like a full-circle moment—using her actual accent and bringing that same "don't mess with me" energy she perfected as Maze, but in a much more grounded, gritty world.
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Early Days and New Zealand Roots
You can't really talk about her career without looking at the New Zealand stuff. It’s where she started.
- Shortland Street (2007): Every Kiwi actor starts here. It's basically a rite of passage. She had a small role as Sonia, a nurse.
- Diplomatic Immunity (2009): This was her first big break. She played Leilani Fa'auigaese in a comedy about a fictional South Pacific consulate. It's way lighter than anything she's done recently.
- Legend of the Seeker: She popped up in the Season 2 finale as Sister Thea. If you’re a fantasy nerd, you probably recognize her from this cult classic.
Lesley-Ann Brandt Movies You Probably Missed
While she’s definitely a "TV star" first, her movie credits are sorta all over the place. She’s done everything from low-budget horror to intense indie dramas.
Zombie Apocalypse (2011) is a total guilty pleasure. It’s a Syfy original movie where she stars alongside Ving Rhames. Is it high art? No. Is it fun to watch Brandt take out zombies with a sword years before Lucifer? Absolutely.
Then there’s Heartlock (2019). This one is a lot more serious. She plays a prison guard who gets manipulated by an inmate. It’s a tense, uncomfortable watch that really showed off her dramatic range away from the "cool action girl" trope. She also did Drift (2013), a surfing movie set in the 70s where she plays Lani. It’s a vibe—very different from the dark, moody sets of her usual work.
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The Voice Work and Animation
Not a lot of people realize she’s a voice actor, too. In 2023, she voiced Liza Barrel in Captain Fall, an adult animated series on Netflix. It’s dark, weird, and perfectly fits her brand of "deadly but charming."
Why She’s Dominating 2026 and Beyond
Right now, Brandt is leaning hard into producing. She’s currently working on a project called Bender, an Irish coming-of-age comedy. Yeah, you read 그 right—Irish. She’s producing it under her banner, D6 Entertainment. It’s set in 1970s Dublin during a papal visit.
It’s a massive pivot from the supernatural and post-apocalyptic stuff she's known for. It shows she's not interested in being typecast as "the fighter." She’s also been linked to Mayfair Witches, continuing her streak in the "immortal/supernatural" genre that fans clearly love her in.
Notable Guest Spots
If you’re a completionist, you’ve gotta track down these specific episodes:
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- Gotham (Season 1, Episode 10): She played Larissa Diaz, aka Copperhead. She was a terrifying assassin, and it honestly felt like a screen test for Maze.
- The Librarians: She had a recurring role as Lamia.
- CSI: NY: She appeared in a couple of episodes in 2011 as Camille Jordanson.
Fact-Checking the Career Path
There’s a common misconception that she’s American. She isn't. She was born in Cape Town and moved to New Zealand when she was 18. That international background is why she can slip into so many different types of roles. She worked in retail and IT recruitment before she ever started modeling or acting. Imagine getting a call about a job from Mazikeen.
Honestly, the Lesley-Ann Brandt movies and tv shows list is a masterclass in "the hustle." She didn't have a "big break" that made her an overnight star. It was a decade of guest roles and Syfy movies before Lucifer turned her into a household name.
If you want to see her best work, don't just stop at Lucifer. Watch The Ones Who Live for the grit, Spartacus for the raw emotion, and if you're feeling brave, find that old Zombie Apocalypse DVD.
To keep up with her latest projects, follow her production company, D6 Entertainment, as they move more into the "behind-the-scenes" space with upcoming 2026 releases.
Next Steps:
Check out The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live on AMC+ to see her most recent major performance, or dive into the first season of Spartacus on Starz to see the role that first put her on the map in the U.S.